


Beautiful Strangers

by orphan_account



Category: Merlin (TV), Merlin - Fandom
Genre: Dark Arthur, Dark!Arthur, Heavily Implied Incest - Freeform, Kidnapping, Loss of Memory, M/M, Manipulation, Manipulative Arthur, Merlin and Arthur are brothers, Modern AU, Murder, Naive Merlin, Stockholm Syndrome, Way too trusting Merlin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-14
Updated: 2015-09-14
Packaged: 2018-04-20 17:19:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,213
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4795823
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gwaine is a young man who jogs in a forest. He starts noticing a pasty, beautiful young man sitting alone on a bench by a lake in the forest he jogs in.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Beautiful Strangers

**Author's Note:**

> This isn't connected with Precious Little Brother. But it is similar.

There's a boy. When Gwaine sees him he comes to a stop. The boy looks young but not too young, about seventeen or so. He's just sitting there on a bench Gwaine didn't know was there before. The young man is staring at the lake expanding in front of him wistfully. Gwaine can only see his profile, but there's no doubt he's beautiful. Dark curling hair and pure white skin. He's wearing a red oversized knitted sweater that looks adorable on him and pants...but no _shoes_ or even sock scovering those elegant and long feet.

 

And when the boy turned to look at him, Gwaine's breath stopped. The boy was even more beautiful than he thought. Gwaine couldn't resist a pretty face like his. He thought it would be an injustice if he made no comment. Gwaine jogged up to him and gave him his most brilliant smile that never failed. And once again his famous 'the Blinder' worked. The young man blushed and quickly averted those big blue eyes. Gwaine stood beside the young man, smile never fading.

 

“Hey there.” Gwaine said. The young man looked down at his hands stubbornly. Looks like he was a shy one. “I'm Gwaine. And you are...?” Gwaine extended his hand to him. The young man looked at his hand, then at Gwaine then whirled his head around and looked to the opposite direction. Gwaine furrowed his brows. This little angel was an odd one. “Um...” Gwaine trudged to the other side and put his hands on his knees and peered at him. The young man gasped when he noticed Gwaine's proximity and scooted away in fear. Gwaine shot up and put his hands up in defense.

 

“Whoa, whoa! Steady there! Sorry if I startled you.” Gwaine said hurriedly. The young man peeks up and him from beneath his heavy fringe. Gwaine can't help but admire the sight. “I just wanted to say hello.” he says, then adds so he can have the pleasure of seeing those cheekbones flush, “I can't ignore a pretty face like yours.” The young man does blush. “Can't I put a name to your pretty face?” The young man slid off the bench and ran away in full speed, easily dodging the trees and jumping like a prancing deer.

 

“Hey wait!” Gwaine called out but the young man didn't stop or look back. Gwaine stood alone and stared at the place where the young man disappeared. He shrugged his shoulders and tried to tell himself 'oh well', but couldn't help the sense of intrigue.

 

He wondered if tomorrow the same young man would be there by the lake.

 

* * *

 

 

The next day, Gwaine jogged in the forest again. And there was the young man. He looked exactly the same. Same big red knitted sweater, no shoes, slouched from where he sat. Gwaine winced. He had given the young man a scare. He decided to walk up to him. The young man saw him and jumped up. Gwaine grabbed his arm and stopped him.

 

“Wait, don't leave! I just wanted to apologize.” Gwaine exclaimed. The young man calmed down and slowly faced him. For a moment, Gwaine forgot what he was supposed to do. “Um, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you.” There was a silence. The young man stared at him, trying to read him.

“Um, I'm Gwaine. Remember? I introduced myself yesterday. What's your name?” The young man stares at him for a long while without answering. For a moment, Gwaine thinks he's mute or thinks he was just blown off, but then the young man answers in a soft voice.

 

“My name is Merlin.” the young man says lightly, almost _uncertainly_. Gwaine feels his heart soar.

“Merlin? That's an odd name. But it suits you.” he smiles brilliantly. Merlin blushes and smiles back shyly like a sheltered country girl.

 

Gwaine sits next to Merlin. They talk about everything and anything (though Gwaine does most of the talking, Merlin just stares fascinated) until Merlin gets up and tells him he needs to go. Gwaine doesn't want him to leave but Merlin insists. Gwaine lets him go. For now.

 

* * *

 

 

“Lets go out.” Gwaine says one day during one of their meetings. Merlin freezes then slowly looks at him, his big blue eyes blinking.

“What?” he asks softly. Gwaine smiles at him. He has the urge to pet Merlin's hair but he knows how jumpy and shy he is so he doesn't.

“I said lets go out. You know, like _out_?” Gwaine says. Merlin looks at him funny.

“But...we're already out. We're outside this very moment!” Merlin said. Gwaine snorted.

“No, I mean _out_. Like...on a date. In the city?” Gwaine says. Merlin looks shocked for a moment, then wistful and then pensive.

“The.....city?” he repeats very quietly. Gwaine nods. “I'd love to...” Merlin says with a far-off smile, but it vanishes almost instantly. “But I can't. I...” Merlin feels trapped. He needs to get away. He starts fiddling with the long sleeves of his sweater to calm himself. Gwaine notices.

“Why not? What's the matter?” Gwaine asked him calmly. He doesn't want to startle Merlin and make him run away again.

“I just can't. Sorry.” Merlin says with big, sad eyes. He really does look like he means it. Gwaine leaves the matter alone. For now.

 

* * *

 

 

The next time Gwaine visits, he brings coffee from the city. Merlin panics. “You can't bring that here!” he says in a harsh whisper, as if someone might be listening. Gwaine's brows furrow despite his grin.

“I won't litter if that's what worries you.” He offers the warm Starbucks venti to him but Merlin scrambles away from it as if it was poisonous.

“No, no, no.... I can't take that!” Merlin says, his thin chest is heaving. Gwaine is worried now.

“What's the matter? Its just coffee.” Gwaine tips the cup and swallows some of the sweet vanilla-bean beverage.

“I-I just can't! He'll—I can't! I-I have to go....” Merlin stands up and runs off. Gwaine sets the coffee down and goes after him. He's proud to say he almost caught up with Merlin before the young man took a weird turn and disappeared.

 

“Damn. He's fast.” Gwaine panted. Then he noticed something on the forest's floor. Gwaine picked it up and held close to his face. It was a ring. A thick, solid silver ring. Did Merlin drop this? He studied it very carefully. On the inner sides of the ring, there was an engraving of a dove. Gwaine pocketed and decided to show it to Merlin the next time.

 

* * *

 

 

Gwaine came to a decision. He's going to follow Merlin. After their meeting, he would follow him. He would pretend he would leave and then secretly follow him. He just hoped he didn't get lost.

 

As presumed, Merlin was there. He was sitting on the bench as usual. Gwaine sat next to him, carefully. Merlin wouldn't look at him. “I'm sorry.” Gwaine said. “I'm not sure what I did, but I scared you and I'm sorry.” Merlin looked at him through the corner of his eye.

“Its not your fault. Its just....” Merlin seemed to be struggling with an inner storm. “Its complicated. You shouldn't even see me.” Gwaine was really confused.

"Did you drop this last time?" Gwaine asked Merlin. Merlin stares at the ring on Gwaine's palm. His eyes widened and he smiles in relief. He grabbed the ring quickly and held it up against his chest like something deeply treasured and precious.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you..." Merlin repeated quietly but extremely relieved. "I thought I lost it." Merlin sighed and kissed the ring then slipped it on one of his spidery fingers. His face dropped. The ring was too big. Gwaine chuckled.

"Here." he said. He took off the leather cord necklace he always wore and offered it to Merlin. "Put it in here so you won't lose it." Gwaine said.

"No, I can't take it." Merlin said, pushing Gwaine's hands away from him.

"Don't be modest, its okay."

"No, really. Keep it." Merlin said sharply, then added softly, "I'll just...be more careful."

Gwaine thinks Merlin might not understand the concept of gifts, but Merlin's reason is entirely different from what he thinks.

 

“What did you mean before? 'Shouldn't even see me'?”

 “My....brother.” Merlin said hesitantly. “I live with him, but he doesn't like it when I go out. But even so, he's kind enough to let me for a bit.”

“Let you out? It sounds like your his dog or something.” Gwaine said. Merlin shook his head.

“No, no. Its not like that. Well, maybe a little...but he means well! He's just really protective of me.” Merlin defended quickly.

“What about your parents? Don't they have a say in what you can and cannot do?” Gwaine questioned. Merlin's shoulders slumped.

“I don't remember them. See, there was this accident and I lost my memory. But Arthur said that it was  best to not try to remember them. He said they were bad people, that they wanted to take me away from him, they wanted to drive us apart so we had to leave after the accident to start all over.” he finished sadly. Gwaine wasn't liking this.

“Who's Arthur? Your brother?” he asked. Merlin nodded. “And do you always believe what he says?” Merlin immediately responded without missing a beat.

“Yes! I trust Arthur more than anybody. He loves me.” Merlin said, though it sounded like he recited this every morning. Gwaine stared at him seriously.

“And me? Do you trust me?”

 

The question seemed to catch Merlin off guard. His innocent doe eyes stared into Gwaine's brown ones. Gwaine couldn't resist the younger man anymore. He leaned forward and caught Merlin's lips in a kiss. Merlin didn't respond at first, he was too busy screaming in his mind. But then he caught up and returned the kiss. Gwaine was pleasantly surprised to find out Merlin was a good kisser. Gwaine placed his hand on the back of Merlin's hair. His fingers were hungrily grasping at the soft locks. But as things were getting good, Merlin shoved him away. His face was ashen and his lips were trembling. He looked terrified.

 

“I-I shouldn't have done that.... I have to go. _Now_.” But before Merlin could run away again, Gwaine took hold of his slender wrists and stopped him.

“No, please don't leave. Don't run away again.” Gwaine begged. He was desperate to have Merlin stay. He forgot about his plan to follow him. Merlin tried fighting him off.

“Nonononononono! Let me go! I can't be here! He'll notice, he'll—”Merlin started babbling. Gwaine grabbed his face.

“Who? Who'll notice? Merlin, talk to me!” Merlin didn't seem to hear him.

 

“Is it Arthur?” Merlin stopped fighting him. He gave a little whimper and a sniffle. Gwaine gathered the thin man in his arms. “Shhh, its okay. Don't cry. I'm sorry.”

 

* * *

 

 

Gwaine visited Merlin again. But the boy wasn't there.

 

* * *

 

 

“Merlin? What's the matter, love?” the blonde man asked. Merlin only burrowed deeper into the broad chest he was sprawled over. The two of them were silent for a bit more.

“Arthur...” Merlin said in a light voice. “You wouldn't lie to me, right?” The blonde man under him frowned. He stroked Merlin's hair.

“Where did this come from, darling? Of course I wouldn't.”

“You didn't lie about our parents, right? Do they really want to take me away from you?”

“I'm sorry to say that you're right, Merlin. But I love you above everything, I would never let them take you away.” _Not that they could._

“But Arthur...what if I want to go away?” Merlin asked in a very strained whisper.

 

Arthur froze. Then he grabbed Merlin and forced him to sit up so they'd be face to face.“What? You want to go away? You want to leave me?” Arthur said hotly.

“Arthur...you're hurting me!” Merlin whimpered, his brother's hands like brands on his arms.

“After all I did for us to be together! Why!? Why do you want to leave me!?” Arthur shouted.

“I've met someone else!” Merlin blurted out. Arthur looked like Merlin just slapped him. His usual calm blue eyes were hurt, but then they were fierce.

“Do you think I care? I won't let you go. I had to quit my old life so I could have you! I had to _kill!_ ” Merlin looked at his brother in terror. Arthur killed someone? Did he really know his brother like he thought he did? _Do you always believe what he says?_ Gwaine's words cut through his mind.

 

“Who are you?” Merlin asked in a trembling voice. Arthur smiled at him sweetly.

“I'm your older brother. I'm the one who loves you more than anyone can ever love you.” He brought Merlin close to him and put his chin over his head. “I love you so much, little brother. Despite your betrayal to me, I'll never stop loving you.”

 

* * *

 

 

“I fought with Arthur because of you.” Merlin accused as soon as Gwaine bounded up to him.

“What, me? What did I do?” Gwaine asked.  For the first time, Merlin frowned.

“You made me doubt him. You made me question him.” Merlin said. Gwaine sat next to him.

“Maybe that's a good thing. I know he's your brother, but you can't be locked away from the world like some princess. You need to go out.”

“I am out.” Merlin said stubbornly.

“I mean actually out. And not just for five minutes. Its not right. How old are you anyways? Seventeen? Eighteen?”

“Twenty...” Merlin muttered.

“TWENTY!? And he still treats you like a little kid!? Merlin, that's really bad! You have to do something!” Gwaine exclaimed.

“No, I can't leave him! He did so much for me! He loves me!” Merlin screeched. His hands flew to cover his ears. He didn't want to hear the truth.

“Merlin, if he loves you then he knows this isn't a healthy way of living! You have to go out, get a job, have some fun!" Gwaine said, grabbing him and shaking him. "You can't just live here in the middle of nowhere being sheltered by your older brother! He's keeping you to himself, that's not love!” Merlin shoved him away.

“Nonononononono...” He sounded like a broken record. He was grabbing at his head and hair, he looked as if he was in pain.

 

And once again, he ran away.

 

* * *

 

 

“H-he said you didn't love me!” Merlin sobbed into Arthur's chest. “He said that I had to leave you! Please tell me its not true!” Merlin needed reassurance more than anything, he needed to be told what he wanted to hear. Arthur knew this.

“Whoever this man is, he's a liar." Arthur began stroking Merlin's head. "I love you, you should know better than to trust some strange man.” Arthur waited for a pause effect. “Don't you see what his intentions are, love? He wants you to doubt me so he could take you for himself. Men can be that way, you know. They see something pretty and they want to chain it up and keep it.” Merlin looked up at Arthur with watery eyes.

“Bu-but... _you_ have me here. Doesn't that mean...?”

 

“No.” Arthur said firmly, his grip becoming ever so slightly firm. “I'm trying to protect you. I'm trying to keep us together because wretched people out there want to take us apart. There's a difference. And this man you've been seeing wants only one thing from you.” Arthur waited for his naive brother to understand, but Merlin held no recognition of what he was implying. “Oh, my sweet innocent dove. Can't you see? He wants to fuck you.” Arthur said with a loving smile. He knew he was winning. Merlin's eyes grew wide.

“N-no...he wouldn't... Gwaine isn't that way...”

“But he is.” Arthur said, voice sugary. He was too pleased with where this was going but Merlin didn't notice. “You can only trust one person in your life, and who is that? Hmm?”

“You.” Merlin croaked. Arthur kissed the tip of his nose. He was pleased Merlin was where he belonged—with him and no one else.

“That's right, darling. Now I'll deal with this Gwaine fellow. You stay here, where its safe.”

 

Arthur locked Merlin in the house and pocketed the key. He cracked his knuckles in anticipation. He was about to show Gwaine just who he was messing with.

 

* * *

 

 

Merlin wasn't there, but in his place was a blonde man. He was handsome and fit, but had an air about him that made Gwaine very uneasy. He didn't know why, but he was starting to feel worried. Where was Merlin? And who was this man? The man looked at him abruptly with sharp blue eyes. The look the blonde gave him was short, but so hateful. Gwaine took a cautious step back. The blonde man smiled serenely. Gwaine wanted to turn back and leave, but the man said before he could leave, “You must be Gwaine.” Gwaine stared at him uncomfortably.

“Yeah. Uh, who are you?” The blonde man stood up and sized up to Gwaine.

“I'm sure you've heard of me at least once. I'm Arthur.”

 

Gwaine knew this couldn't be good. “Where's Merlin?” he demanded. He grabbed Arthur's knitted sweater—and realized it was familiar. It was the one Merlin always wore, except it didn't hang off Arthur's frame like it did with Merlin. “This is...” he said. Arthur smirked.

“Yes. Its mine. Merlin loves to wear it.” he said, a hint of softness in his voice.

“What did you do to him? Where is he?” Gwaine said darkly. Arthur rolled his eyes.

“You're making it seem as if I beat him. I would never hurt my beloved.” Arthur said. A horrible realization came to Gwaine.

“You sick _fuck.”_ Gwaine growled. Arthur chuckled. Gwaine had enough of him. He raised his clenched fist to strike, but Arthur was faster. As quick as a snake, he produced a knife and stabbed Gwaine's side deeply. Gwaine sputtered out blood.

 

“Get in my way, and you die.” Arthur smiled maniacally. So many people had to learn the hard way in the past. Now Gwaine was just like the so many that had fallen.

 

* * *

 

 

Merlin waited for Arthur's return eagerly. When he heard the door click open, Merlin ran and threw himself at the blonde man. Arthur chuckled and welcomed him in a hug. “Miss me, love?” Arthur asked. Merlin whimpered and gave a nod. “I'm sorry I made you wait. Don't worry. I won't leave you again. Not even for a second.” Arthur kissed his head. Merlin withdrew. For the first time, he realized Arthur's hands and favorite sweater were drenched in blood. Merlin stared at Arthur's calm face.

 

“Arthur...?” Merlin said. Arthur touched the side of Merlin's face casually, as if he wasn't smearing blood over his brother's pale skin.

“What's the matter, sweetheart? Are you hungry?” Arthur asked him kindly.

“Why are you covered in blood?” Merlin said. Arthur smiled widely.

“Oh, this? Don't worry your pretty head about it.” Merlin nodded. He trusted Arthur. Whatever it was, Arthur said he didn't need to worry over.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed. This might be the last update for the week 'cause tomorrow I have school.


End file.
